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Pioneer Editorial: Cheers and Jeers

Beltrami County won recognition from the National Association of Counties for the county's role as partner in establishing the Northern Dental Access Center. The honor was a 2009 Achievement Award and Best Rural Program Award, one of 20 such awards nationally. Tooth problems lead to more systematic illness, so the Northern Dental Access Center is a great step in prevention health care. This award recognizes Beltrami County's continuing forward-looking attitude toward its citizens' welfare.

Finnish camp

Four Finnish music instructors teamed up with Bemidji State University music instructors to offer special Concordia Language Villages Music Camp to 26 students. The campers received group and individual instruction from the international partnership of experts.

Internet dangers

A former Californian, currently Madison, Wis., man has pleaded guilty in Beltrami County District Court to felony soliciting a child to engage in a sexual act and felony sexual contact with a victim 12-15 years of age. Beyond the details of the crime are the dangers of children making Internet contact with unknown people for intimate conversations, and in this case, rendezvous. The man who entered the guilty pleas has a charge of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct pending against him in Cass County, but the girl who chatted with him and allowed him to pick her up would have known nothing about his history. Parents must monitor their children's Internet connections.

Mork retires

After 22 years as manager at Lake Bemidji StatePark, plus another 10 years as assistant manager at state parks on the North Shore of Lake Superior and central Minnesota, Paul Mork stepped down Thursday to enter retirement. The timing was ideal, as his wife, Pam, retired a couple of weeks ago from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division. Lake Bemidji State Park has undergone major improvements during Mork's tenure, including the Bog Walk, buildings renovations and construction and reclamation of forests and wetland with the close of Lavinia Road.